his rock and his shelter, his brother and friend
by particularly good finder
Summary: He's leaving, and Finn deserves to know why.


**I don't really know what this is. I'm not that happy with it, but I'm tired so I'll post it anyways. I felt that Finn needed to find out and that Kurt needed his brother. So…review?**

* * *

_You are broken and callow / cautious and safe__ / __You are boundless in beauty__ / __with fright in your face.__  
_

_Until someone loves you / I'll keep you safe / But like them / I will give you away._

-That's Okay, The Hush Sound

* * *

"Kurt. We need to talk." Finn paused at the top of the staircase, gripping the banister shakily. The smaller boy looked up, eyes red and puffy.

"I've made up my mind, Finn. I can't go back to McKinley."

Finn walked slowly down into the basement bedroom, sitting on his own bed. "We can protect you, dude! All of us! Even the girls would take a punch for you."

Kurt blanched. "And _this_ is why I'm leaving. I refuse to let anyone _take a punch for me_. Sam already looks like a panda. I don't need Quinn to have a matching shiner."

The taller boy frowned. "Look, I know you hate getting slushies on your clothes and stuff, but everyone else deals with it. And you did, too. Why run away now?"

Kurt looked at his stepbrother incredulously. "You think I'm leaving because of slushies? Really? Am I really that petty in your eyes? That weak?"

Finn just gave him a confused look. "I thought they stopped the dumpster dives after Jacob broke a couple of ribs and had to go to the E.R."

"Oh, heaven forbid anything worse than dumpster dives happen in the sunshine world of Finn Hudson!" Kurt exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. "Karofsky _threatened my life_, Finn. He's going to _kill_ me."

The taller boy just didn't understand. "He was bluffing. Puck tells you he's gonna kill you every other day. What's the difference?"

The brunette let out a half-laugh/half-shriek, standing up. "Puck and I are almost _friends_, Finn. And he threatens to kill me because I suggest show-tunes and jazz numbers for competitions. Karofsky means it."

Kurt's knees gave out, and he landed back onto his bed, trembling violently. Finn moved over to sit next to him, biting his lip.

"What did he do to you?" He asked gently, grabbing Kurt's shoulder.

The smaller boy took a breath. "Well, he slams me into lockers whenever he sees me. He steals things right out of my hands, throws my books to the ground, breaks whatever he can. And then he told me he would kill me. Dead serious. I can't stay in that school any longer."

Finn's brows furrowed. "But, _why_?"

Kurt looked like he was going to go insane. "I just told you why, Finn."

"No, I mean, why did he say he was going to kill you? What's his motive?"

The small boy looked down. "Just…because."

Finn took one of Kurt's hands in both of his, pouting slightly. "And the real reason?"

Kurt sighed, eyes watering. "He kissed me."

"What?" Finn's grip tightened, heart stopping. "He did _what_ to you?"

The smaller boy's voice cracked, getting quieter as he spoke. "He kissed me. I confronted him, like Blaine said I should, and he _kissed_ me. And he said if I told _anyone_ else, he'd kill me."

Finn seemed incredibly torn. "I'm gonna kill him- what, who's Blaine?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "One: don't. I'm gone and he'll go back to being in denial. Two: Blaine is a friend of mine from Dalton. He's been helping me a lot lately."

The taller boy looked down, shifting where he sat. "Okay…I won't kill Karofsky…I'll probably beat the shit out of him, though. And, no, you can't stop me. And…is Blaine your boyfriend? Does Burt know?"

Kurt stood up, pacing the room. "I won't try to stop you. But don't get yourself in trouble over this. And no, Blaine is just a friend who knows what I'm going through."

Finn leaned back against his stepbrother's pillow, face softening. "But you like him, right?"

Kurt blushed. "That is irrelevant."

"And he's gay, right? You said he knows what you're going through."

"Yes, he is gay. But I'm not his type."

"Did he say that?"

"No. But I've facebook stalked his exes. They're…masculine."

"Well, maybe that's why they're his _ex_-boyfriends."

Kurt laughed a little. "Maybe so, Mr. Optimist."

Finn's face fell a little again. "Look, I know having your first guy kiss – it _was_ your first guy kiss, right?" Kurt nodded. "I know having that stolen from you was upsetting, but is it really enough to leave behind all of your friends?"

Kurt looked sad again, and had to clear his throat before speaking. "Finn…that's sexual harassment. And the looks he gives me, the way he touches me, strokes my arm in the hallway, winks at me…I'm just afraid that the next time he's feeling sexually repressed…it won't just be a kiss."

The taller boy paled, hands shaking at his sides. "You mean…?"

"Yes."

Leaping from the bed, Finn was across the room in seconds, pulling his brother into a tight hug. "God, Kurt, I'm so sorry…why didn't you tell any of us sooner? You've been so scared all this time…and you held all of that in…"

Kurt sobbed into Finn's chest, balling his fists into the taller teen's shirt. "I…I couldn't…I was so _scared_… he said he'd kill me…"

Finn led them to Kurt's bed, burrowing both of their bodies safely into the sheets. Kurt sobbed himself dry, hiccupping in the warmth of Finn's arms.

As soon as Kurt had fallen asleep, Finn slipped from the bed, grabbing the boy's iPhone and locking himself in the bathroom. Scrolling through the contacts, he found Blaine and hit the call button.

"_Hello?" _A cheery voice asked. The sound of video games and laughter could be heard in the background.

"Um, hi."

"_You're not Kurt,"_ Blaine stated, and Finn felt his face burn a little.

"Uh, no, I'm not. I'm Finn, his stepbrother."

"_Oh, hey. Has something happened? Is Kurt okay?"_ Finn's heart softened at the boy's concerned tone. He cared for Kurt; he probably even _loved_ him.

"Um, well, I don't know if he's told you…but he's transferring to your school."

"_What? He's coming to Dalton? What happened? _Is he hurt?_" _Now the voice sounded panicked.

"One of the bullies here threatened his life. And he's _really_ freaked out." Finn leaned against the counter, sighing.

"_But he's not in the hospital. Okay, that's good. I mean, nothing about this situation is _good_, but he's not…"_

"Dead. Yeah, I'm kinda relieved about that part, too."

"_Why didn't he call me himself? Is he embarrassed?" _

"No…he just fell asleep. But not after crying himself sick into my shoulder. I'm calling because…I don't know how he feels. I want to help him…but I've never been in that situation. And I've heard you have."

There was a pause. _"Wow. That's…that's really cool of you, Finn. I guess, all he really needs right now is someone to talk to, me, and someone who he doesn't have to say a word to, you. Just…just stick by his side, man. Show him you support his decision and that you'll always be there. Which, after hearing about your song at the wedding, I'd say you've got down." _Finn smiled. _"You're doing fine, Finn. Let me be the one to psychoanalyze everything. You just need to be his rock."_

Finn placed a hand on the doorknob, feeling relived. "Thanks, man. You really care about him, huh?"

There was a soft chuckle. _"More than I care to admit."_

That was enough for Finn. "Sweet. Thanks, again, and I'm sure we'll see plenty of each other soon enough."

He hung up, and tiptoed back to the bed, shuffling under the warm sheets. Kurt seemed to unconsciously curl up against the heat of Finn's body, making the taller boy shake with laughter.

"Whasso funny?" Kurt mumbled grumpily.

Finn ruffled the boy's hair. "You."

Kurt scowled sleepily. "Am not."

"Go to sleep, Kurt."

"I'm not funny."

"Go to sleep."

"No."

"Go have dreams of Blaine and your pretty gay babies."

"I hate you."

"Love you, too, man."

Kurt drifted back asleep, and Finn closed his eyes, smiling. Kurt was such a beautiful person, and Blaine would be stupid not to want him back. Besides, he understood Kurt, and could love him in a way Finn couldn't.

But until Blaine pulled his head out of his ass, Finn would be Kurt's brother, his best friend. He would keep him safe, keep him from falling; he would be his rock in the storm, and hold his heart above the flames. He would protect him.


End file.
